Longmont Streetwalker getting to know the city after 30 years

Longtime resident completes first half of plan to walk every street, alleyway this year

By Whitney BryenLongmont Times-Call

Posted:
06/29/2013 09:31:16 PM MDT

Updated:
07/01/2013 09:44:32 PM MDT

During his walks, which are usually twice per week and last three to five hours each, Mark Scheidies takes pictures of interesting things he sees along the way and then posts them to his blog, longmontstreetwalker.com
(
LEWIS GEYER
)

LONGMONT -- At 5 a.m. Tuesday, Mark Scheidies laced up his dark gray New Balance shoes and headed to Roosevelt Park for an early stroll.

That morning, Scheidies, 58, took about 25,000 steps in nearly five hours between Grant Street and Main Street and from Ninth Avenue to Third Avenue. That's nothing new for the Longmont resident who is on a mission to walk the entire city this year.

"I'm hoping to walk every street and alley in Longmont by the end of the year," Scheidies said. "In 20 years I might not be able to do this, so I'm doing it now."

On Jan. 1, Scheidies turned his New Year's resolution into a reality when he set off on his first walk in his old neighborhood in east Longmont, Stoney Ridge.

Scheidies has taken about 750,000 steps this year, according to his pedometer, and walked for about 150 hours and he's only halfway through.

By the end of the year, Scheidies expects his charcoal tennis shoes, which he hopes to wear for every walk, will have more than 1.5 million steps on the already worn soles.

Advertisement

Scheidies works as a receptionist at his wife, Jennifer's, dental office Cosmetic and Family Dental Care. Scheidies tracks his progress by coloring in a map of Longmont that is taped to the glass above the desk.

Scheidies started with the Stoney Ridge neighborhood where he lived for his first 13 years in Longmont and plans to end his yearlong journey in his current neighborhood.

After living in Longmont for 30 years, Scheidies said he was surprised at how much of the town he had never seen.

Longmont resident Mark Scheidies walks in the neighborhood of Eighth Avenue and Grant Street on Tuesday morning. Scheidies is trying to walk on every street and alley in Longmont by the end of the year.
(
LEWIS GEYER
)

"You think you'd know a place after that long, but I was surprised at how much I didn't know," he said. "I take mostly the main streets when I'm driving around, and it turns out I haven't been on a lot of streets, even around where I live."

During his walks, which are usually twice per week and last three to five hours each, Scheidies takes pictures of interesting things he sees along the way and then posts them to his blog, longmontstreetwalker.com.

Alleyways and backyards have given Scheidies the most interesting perspective of Longmont, he said.

"He comes back with pictures of the most interesting stuff," Jennifer Scheidies said. "He finds tree houses and boats and signs and art of all kinds."

Fences made from skis, homemade sculptures and obscure mailboxes are often featured on the blog with witty comments.

When he isn't taking pictures, Scheidies said, he listens to the radio or practices "Jeopardy" questions while he walks.

"I've been trying to get on 'Jeopardy' for years," Scheidies said. "I'll have a list of presidents or Bible chapters or Oscar-winning films that I go over."

Most days, Scheidies just walks and looks, checking out the scenery around him.

While most of his walks are pleasant, Scheidies said, there were a couple of days when the weather wasn't ideal and the walk became more work than play.

"There was one day, I think it was my third walk, that it was really cold and I misestimated the time and it ended up taking more than five hours and I didn't have my cell phone and I wasn't in shape but I had to just keep going," he said. "Most days are really positive but there were a couple days when I got home and just crashed."

He walked midday in the cooler months but gets up early for his summer walks to avoid the heat, Scheidies said.

Since January, Scheidies has lost about 10 pounds. He's hoping the summer walks will continue to shed some weight.

He knew it wouldn't be easy, but, Scheidies said, the hard work and long hours he is putting into the project will be worth it in the end.

"I did it for a lot of reasons including exercise and getting to know Longmont better, but really it's about the memories," Scheidies said.

"My mom uses a walker now and she couldn't do something like this," he said. "This is something I'll remember and have pictures from even to remind me of the walks that I took."

New coordinator pushes Buffs to work, play at level he expectsJim Leavitt has discovered this much about his new defense at Colorado: He has some talent with which to work, but his players need to put it in another gear. Full Story

New coordinator pushes Buffs to work, play at level he expectsJim Leavitt has discovered this much about his new defense at Colorado: He has some talent with which to work, but his players need to put it in another gear. Full Story